Q&A for How to Repot a Plant

While it is not advised to cut healthy roots, it is acceptable to prune the rootball of any dead or decaying roots.

Draining soil is a must for a snake plant, and additionally, check your local gardening store for a soil designed for succulents or cacti.

To transplant a plant to a bigger pot, start by watering the plant to make removal easier. Cover the new pot’s drainage hole and fill it halfway with soil. Then, gently place the plant in the new pot. Once you’ve filled the rest of the pot with soil, water the plant and place it in the sun.

Different plants need to be repotted at different intervals, however a good rule of thumb is repot when a potted plant seems to be outgrowing its present container.

Do your best to gently manipulate the roots so that they're looser and not in the shape of the old pot — which is something we call rootbound. Just gently go in with your fingertips and kind of work the route, giving the roots a head start on growing out into their new pot. Sometimes, it's not a matter of just taking it from one spot to another and popping it in — you want to remind the roots that they need to grow outward.

Yes, if you're not careful. Replanting it too low, with the stem below the surface of the soil, could potentially cause rot, especially if you're watering it constantly.

This means to place a plant that has drainage holes into a tray of water so that the plant can absorb the water through its roots. After about twenty minutes, check the soil to see if it has reached the optimal level of moisture.

Using a pot that has no drainage mechanisms is not recommended. If the plant is not able to drain, the soil can become over-saturated, eventually killing the plant. Drainage holes are necessary for the drainage of not only water but also of fertilizer. Holes also serve as a way for oxygen to circulate within the pot. One suggestion is to place the plant in a small pot with drainage, then place it all within a larger pot; you can then remove it to water it at your convenience.

There is some debate about whether you should have a layer of rocks or pebbles in the bottom of the new pot - some research suggests that this will help to prevent water or soil from running out of the drainage holes while the plant gets used to its new home. Other research suggests that if the roots grow into the rocks and pebbles, the plant might die since it can't access the water and soil the pebbles are meant to block. Generally, you probably want to avoid using rocks or pebbles in your pots when you replant.

You always pot up in stages, new pot the next larger size up. If the plant is very robust, and fast growing under ideal conditions, you could go up two sizes. If the pot is too big for the plant, the soil that has no roots in it tends to stay too wet for too long, thus increasing the chances of diseases such as root rot.

It would not be a bad idea. Soil becomes depleted of minerals and nutrients over time. Repotting is the best time to switch out old soil for new soil.

First, empty the plants out of the basket by working your hand in among the plants to hold the soil and tipping the whole thing upside down, much as shown above (if it's a large basket, you may want someone to help you). Then separate the different plants. Try to gently disentangle the roots with your fingers, but if they're badly grown together, you can cut them apart with a sharp knife. Once you have them separated, you'll be able to see how big the new pots will need to be (make sure they have drainage holes).

You don't need to pack down the soil that you put into the bottom of the new pot - you want the texture of the soil to remain open, to encourage good aeration and drainage. You can shake the pot, or tap it on the table, to fill any open areas you can't see.

The plant might be getting too much water or not enough water. The plant might also be getting too much sunlight or not enough sunlight. Lastly, the plant might not be getting enough nutrients. Consider buying some suitable plant food, and watering your plant with it.

Yes. Remove it from the larger pot as outlined above. Gently pick, shake, or wash off the extra soil. Cut back extra roots, if necessary, with clean scissors. Prepare the new pot, and proceed as outlined above.

They don't absolutely need a tray, but you might want to put a tray under them to keep your table, counters, etc. clean. Plant pots need to have holes in the bottom for drainage, and water should always be added until there is a runoff. A tray placed under a pot will catch any water that flows out. You can also set the plant pot with holes into a decorative container without holes instead, as long as you don't let water accumulate there for more than a couple of days.

The process is the same as that explained above. You may want to wear gloves to protect your hands. Use a fast-draining potting medium, since aloe is a succulent. Cactus potting mix is good, especially if you add extra perlite, even as much as half-and-half.

Yes you can! You should water it again a few hours before you want to actually repot the plant. The plant will come free of its old pot much more easily if the rootball is moist than if its dry.

You should pour the water in the catch tray out. Many people suggest the catch tray should be emptied after a couple of hours, but this isn't necessary, as long as it doesn't stay more than a couple of days. The water will be absorbed by the soil, or will evaporate to enhance the humidity.

If your plant doesn't have roots breaking through the surface of the soil or out through the drainage holes in the bottom, it probably doesn't need repotting and you probably don't need to change the soil. You can tip the pot on its side and ease the plant out of the pot so that you can see the plant's roots. As long as they are not coiled in the bottom of the pot - suggesting that the plant has become rootbound - your plant is happy where it is!

Sometimes plants can come back, just give them extra TLC and take them back inside. Remove all the dead leaves so the plant does not waste energy trying to revive them. If they do not come back within a few days to a week, they are probably not going to.

The root ball often retains the shape of the pot. Prune any dead roots, and loosen the ball so that is has more contact with the soil.

Sure, assuming the root ball fits like it should. However, if it doesn't fit in the pot, you should not put it in. The root ball should be no less than one inch from the top.

It is actually better to repot a plant when it is wet, it will take more easily and come out of the original pot faster.

A cactus is repotted just like any other plant, just watch out for the spikes. Definitely have drainage holes, cacti don't do well if there is too much water.

You probably can, but be extra careful so you don't accidentally injure the flower or stem, since it is carrying extra weight.

Yes. If it comes in a little plastic pot, you should definitely repot it into a larger pot as soon as possible.

If it's not too big, bring it inside the house. If it is rather large, cover it and the pot. Then place it in an area where it won't get too much wind. Remember to water it occasionally.

Normally it’s easier just to put the plastic pot inside the decorative pot because it’s less messy and can be easier to drain. However, it’s definitely fine to repot the plant into the decorative pot if the pot is meant for being in contact with wet soil and won’t crack.

If your fig is in a sunny location, and it is clear that the fig is growing, it's probably okay to stay in the larger pot. However, if the fig wasn't growing well in the old pot and is not growing in the new pot, you should probably go back to a smaller pot. It's very easy to overwater a plant after transplanting. Saturate the potting soil after transplanting, but do not water again until the plant really needs it.